My friend and I used to cycle around at late nights during our teens especially around the Bukit Merah and Telok Blangah areas. While we were cycling at the slope near Radin Mas and Bukit Purmei in 1998 before watching the World Cup match together at my place, we saw an old woman carrying a rattan basket walking on the footpath as if she was going to sell food. We ignored her and continued cycling to the entrance of Mt Faber further up.

When we reached the entrance of Mt Faber and did a U turn at the traffic lights, we saw someone similar like that old woman carrying a basket walking on the footpath in front of us. I was wondering how that old woman managed to walk so fast on foot,even faster than 2 of us who were on bicycles?

Sensing something was wrong with this old lady, my friend rode faster and signaled to me to follow him. It was close to 11pm and we rode in the direction of Telok Blangah Way past the mosque and when we reached the forested area where the bus stop and the soccer field where SAFRA is right now, we saw the same old lady with the same rattan basket sitting at the bus stop opposite the hawker center. Both of us caught a very bad smell when passing the old lady.

He began pedalling faster and I followed suit. We pedalled our bikes furiously back to my house at Bukit Merah and I advised my friend to stay over until the next morning since my parents and sis were away for the weekend. After he calmed down over a hot drink, he said when he took the lead from me after leaving the entrance of Mt Faber,he caught a glimpse of the old woman at the bus stop. Her face seemed to be rotting away and was grinning at my friend.

We watched France vs Italy that morning but the mood was not there though.
[Posted at: The Old Lady]